Stuart Duncan

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Stuart Duncan

Stuart Duncan was born April 14, 1964 in Quantico, Virginia. He spent most of his childhood in Southern California on a Marine base, Camp Pendleton. Stuarts’ parents were folk musicians, so Stuart’s love for acoustic music came early. At the age of seven he took to the fiddle. His inspirations were Byron Berline, Vassar Clements, Chubby Wise and Kenny Baker. Stuart played with a group of kids from Camp Pendleton naming themselves The Pendleton Pickers. In 1974 the Pendleton Pickers won a radio contest with the prize of playing on the Grand Ole Opry. Just a few years later in 1978 Stuart who was still very young returned to the Grand Ole Opry playing with his friend Allison Brown, a banjo prodigy. Stuart attended South Plains College in Levelland, Texas where the curriculum included a bluegrass music program. He moved to Nashville in 1985 as a member of the Nashville Bluegrass Band playing fiddle as well as singing and writing songs for the group. He continues with the Nashville Bluegrass Band today.

Stuart is hot on the fiddle with a style all of his own. His beautiful tone, tasteful touch and flawless intonation have made him the most sought after session musician in Nashville. As a multi- instrumentalists playing fiddle, mandolin, guitar and banjo he has gained the respect from many artists appearing on hundreds of albums such as Ricky Skaggs, George Jones, Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson Tim McGraw, Lyle Lovett, Linda Ronstadt, Willie Nelson, George Strait and many more.

Stuart Duncan has received numerous awards. He is an eight time IBMA “Fiddle Player of the Year”, has also won two Grammy awards with the Nashville Bluegrass Band, five Academy of Country Music “Fiddle Player of the Year” awards, and was awarded “Specialty Instrument Player of the Year” in 2006. In 1992 he released a CD “Stuart Duncan” featuring Sam Bush, Bela Fleck, Victor Wooten and David Grier. Stuart toured with Robert Plant and Alison Krauss in support of their five Grammy “Raising Sand” album and toured with Emmylou Harris and Mark Knopfler on the Roadrunning tour. Stuart played on the movie sound tracks “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” and “Cold Mountain”. He collaborated with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, mandolinist Chris Thile, and bassist Edgar Meyer on the album “The Goat Rodeo Sessions”.

Stuart is married to Deita who over the years has taken over the role as Stuart’s business manager. They have three children: Josh, Jonathan and Darcy.

Stuart Duncan was inducted into the National Fiddler Hall of Fame in 2015.